Connections to Nature Supports Positive Youth Development

A growing body of evidence suggests contemporary youth are spending less time outdoors than their predecessors. Because of human’s biophilic tendencies and evolutionary origins, implications of this shift for youth... [ view full abstract ]

A growing body of evidence suggests contemporary youth are spending less time outdoors than their predecessors. Because of human’s biophilic tendencies and evolutionary origins, implications of this shift for youth development may be profound (Kellert & Wilson, 1993). Despite increasing emphasis children’s time in nature and associated benefits (Zelenski & Nisbet, 2014), however, research has not examined the direct relationship between nature connectedness and holistic measures of positive youth development (PYD). This study builds on the work of Kellert (2002) and others to explore direct associations between time in nature, nature connectedness, and key indicators of PYD.

During 2016, our research team surveyed 524 diverse South Carolina middle school students between the ages of 12 and 14. Student participants completed a 21-page questionnaire that contained a wide variety of questions related to demographic attributes, lifestyle, and multiple indicators of PYD (Geldhof et al., 2014). Connection to nature questions measured youth time outdoors, a visual depiction of the youth-nature relationship based on the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale designed by Shultz (2001), and a written description of the youth-nature relationship using Nisbet et al.’s (2009, 2011) Nature Relatedness Scale (NRS). About 52.1% of youth surveyed said they spent 1 or more hours outside per day in nature. Males and white youth were more likely to spend time outdoors than other groups, with African American reporting the lowest levels of time in nature. INS and NRS responses revealed similar patterns. Males and white youth reported the strongest connection to nature on both scales. Correlational analyses highlighted significant positive relationships between INS and NRS scores and overall PYD [r>0.322, p<0.001]. Positive links between nature connectedness and PYD outcomes were strongest in males and white youth, but significant relationships were also observed for all subgroups. Results support the work of Kellert and others, suggesting connection to nature fosters a variety of positive developmental outcomes in adolescents. Our evidence also suggests these relationships hold across gender and racial/ethnic groups. The challenge is ensuring that all youth – particularly females and racial/ethnic minorities – have an opportunity to experience nature and cultivate these benefits.